East Sac Weeding Services
So it’s a little late this year for optimal weed pulling, but if there’s interest, I can open up my schedule for some hand weeding again this year.
What is hand weeding? It’s not maintenance, landscaping or gardening, it is my rear sitting down on the earth and hand pulling the weeds that are abundant this time of year. I bring a weed puller, gloves and hand pruners- my might is in the details, not in clearing out acres. Those nasty velcro weeds (bedstraw), pokey weeds, burr clover, and Oxallis (pretty yellow flower clover guys) are the types of weeds I’m talking about. Crabgrass that requires the patience of Ghandi and the strength of Thor, or clearing out that back40? Nope, that’s for a gardener.
Things to know:
I love dogs & cats (all pets) so they are welcome to join me!
It is very labor intensive and time consuming to pull individual weeds by hand. Expect it to take a while to get large areas done, especially if the weeds are established and the ground is hard.
I don’t just yank weeds out, but I use pry tools to ensure the entire root is removed. I also will remove non-beneficial grubs, trash, or debris.
Please have your green waste bin handy and an option for overflow if it’s a big project.
It is super nice and handy to water the area before my visit- preferably the day or evening before to help loosen up the soil.
INTEREST FORM
What does Chat GPT say about how long it takes to hand weed?
That’s a classic “it depends” question! Hand weeding a 10×10 foot (100 square feet) garden area can take anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours.
There’s no single answer because the time required depends heavily on several factors:
- Weed Density: Is the area sparsely populated with a few weeds, or is it a thick carpet of them? This is the biggest factor.
- Type of Weeds:
- Small annuals (like chickweed or spurge) with shallow roots are quick to pull.
- Deep-rooted perennials (like dandelions, thistle, dock, or bindweed) take much longer because you need to carefully dig out the entire root system.
- Grassy weeds (like crabgrass or Bermuda grass) that spread via runners or rhizomes can be time-consuming to remove thoroughly.
- Soil Condition:
- Moist, loose soil: Weeds pull out much easier and faster.
- Dry, compacted, or rocky soil: Weeding is much harder and slower; roots tend to break off.
- Stage of Weed Growth: Small, young seedlings are faster to remove than large, established plants. Weeds that have gone to seed require more careful handling to avoid spreading seeds.
- Presence of Desirable Plants: Are you weeding an empty bed, or do you need to carefully work around delicate vegetables, flowers, or shrubs? Weeding carefully around other plants significantly slows the process.
- Thoroughness Required: Are you doing a quick pass to make it look better, or are you meticulously trying to remove every single root fragment?
- The Weeder’s Experience and Physical Condition: An experienced gardener might work faster, and someone comfortable with kneeling or bending for extended periods will keep a steadier pace.
Here’s a rough spectrum:
- Light Weeding (Few scattered, easy-to-pull weeds, good soil): 15 – 30 minutes.
- Moderate Weeding (Noticeable amount of weeds, mix of types, decent soil): 30 minutes – 1.5 hours.
- Heavy Weeding (Dense weeds, many tough perennials/grasses, difficult soil, working around existing plants): 2 – 4+ hours.
Dealing with deeply entrenched invasive weeds like bindweed could take even longer.
To get the best estimate for your specific situation, the only way is to start weeding and see how long a small section (like a 2×2 foot square) takes, then extrapolate.
